Things what I read in October.

Struck by Lightning – Chris Colfer.
Hmm. I love Chris Colfer, I just don’t really gel with his books all that well. I reviewed this one though, you can read more about it here and if you like, you can also read Emma’s review here because it was that that made me want to pick this book up. Check out the film version if you can though, because that was an almost Mean Girls level of brilliance.

One Moment – Kristina McBride.
I had no idea what this was about before I picked it up, I had been coveting it for a while, mainly because of the cover, what I got was something that was emotional, raw and took me about a day to read because it was so compelling. I can’t review it without giving away massive spoilers, even if those plot twists were evident to everyone but the narrator. Even so, this was amazing.

The Eyre Affair – Jasper Fford.When I picked this up on my birthday trip to Swindon (I am aware of how unexotic that sounds) I had absolutely no idea what to expect, only that it was about a literary detective who has to save Jane Eyre from being kidnapped out of the pages of her own novel. It was kinda fun in a Douglas Adams kind of a way. You can read my review here.

Confessions of a boy crazy girl – Paula HendricksDo you remember when I told you all that I was a sucker for a pretty cover? No? Well, I’m a sucker for a pretty cover and sometimes those pretty covers are misleading. This for instance does not look like the memoir of a VERY Christian lady telling young girls about how God can help you with dating. Check out the review here.

Before I die – Jenny DownhamI promised myself that I would read the book before I watched the film… Then, I watched the film half way through reading the book. I’ll be honest, even though I knew what was going to happen, I cried. A lot.

The Shining – Stephen King.
This is the first SK novel I’ve ever read! I thought it would be a good choice for the week coming up to halloween, I adore the film, and although I was told that the film was really different, I wanted to give it a go anyway. I reviewed it here.

Severed Heads, Broken Hearts – Robyn Schneider.
Also known as The Beginning of Everything according to goodreads, the blurb tells me that the lead character, Ezra, will make me forget my crush on Augustus Waters, so obviously I had to get in there. Here’s a very rambly review.

Z, a novel of Zelda Fitzgerald – Therese Anne Fowler.I have wanted this book ever since I first heard about it. Ya’ll know I love the Fitzgeralds right? But, for a book supposedly about Zelda, who I’m told was a strong, fiesty, independent woman, it seems a shame that the story ends with Scott’s death. Would have been nice for it to have offered more of an insight into Zelda’s supposed fragile mental state too. But I didn’t hate it and I love the stories of their great romance so. S’alright I guess.

Dear Scott, Dearest Zelda, the letters of Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald.
I’ve coveted this book for what feels like a life time, I finally got it for my birthday and now, inspired by my mixed thoughts on Z a novel of Zelda Fitzgerald, I thought I might as well read it! It fuelled my love for the Fitzgeralds, it made me long for a writing partner of my own and it made me wonder whether or not, in the future, fans will be reading a collection of tweets rather than love letters. More than that though, it made me realise, that whether or not you’re team Scott or Team Zelda, whether you believe Hemingway’s observations of Zelda or whether you think Scott was a misogynist and a bully, there is absolutely no denying the love and adoration these two had for each other.